


Always In Their Hearts

by Mystic_Harley



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, One Shot, Snapshots, The Doctor will never forget Susan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 18:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21462856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Harley/pseuds/Mystic_Harley
Summary: Even after she's long gone from their lives, the Doctor will always remember their granddaughter.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 101





	Always In Their Hearts

_ Memory _ _   
  
_

Jamie tapped his foot impatiently as the Doctor danced around the console, flipping switches and pulling levers. “Och, Doctor. Just admit ye have no idea what yer doin. Ye barely know how to fly the TARDIS in the best of times.”  
  
The Doctor didn’t respond to his companion, putting his finger to his lips and mumbling something under his breath that Jamie had to strain to hear. “Oh dear, Susan was usually the one who performed these duties… now let’s see, what was it again…”  
  
Cocking his head a little, Jamie wondered who this ‘Susan’ was. He knew that Ben and Polly were travelling with the Doctor before he joined but he would have remembered a girl named Susan. He frowned, watching the Doctor fret over the controls. “Er, Doctor? Is there anything I can do to help?”  
  
“Hm? Oh, oh no no Jamie. This is complicated work, I’m afraid. It takes a delicate pair of hands.” He waggled his own fingers as if to prove his point, but Jamie wasn’t convinced.  
  
“Does it have to do with this Susan woman ye were muttering about?”   
  
The Doctor stiffened, freezing almost like a statue as he gave Jamie a critical and piercing look, which made him squirm uncomfortably. “You heard that eh? Eavesdropping is very unbecoming of you, Jamie.”  
  
It was in that instant Jamie felt he had trampled onto some sacred ground that he wasn’t supposed to tread upon, but now that he had shoved his foot into his mouth he figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Who is Susan, Doctor? I’ve never heard of her before.”  
  
He sagged slowly, and for the first time Jamie saw how old he truly was. The wrinkles seemed to multiply before his sagging eyes and he sighed slowly, sadly. “Susan… is my granddaughter, Jamie.” Jamie’s eyes widened in surprise, but said nothing. “I left her, a long time ago. Yes, quite a long time ago now. She’s happy, of course. A husband, kids now, probably. Goodness, I could be a great-grandfather.” He chuckled a little at that, shaking his head.  
  
“Do you miss her?” Jamie certainly missed his clan and Kirsty’s family dearly.   
  
The Doctor nodded once, smiling sadly. “Oh yes, very much. It’s not easy to part with your family, even while knowing how happy they’ll be. I think about her… quite often.” He nodded again, seemingly pushing buttons at random. “Yes, quite often. Now then!”  
  
He grinned suddenly, life flushing back into his elderly features so quickly Jamie had to blink in alarm as the Doctor rubbed his hands gleefully and threw the dematerialization lever. “Let’s see where we head off too next, hm?”  
  
Jamie rolled his eyes, but smiled fondly. “Aye Doctor, hopefully somewhere that’s not crawling with beasties.”  
  
\----  
_Age__  
__  
_“Doctor…” Jo began, examining her freshly painted nails. She glanced up at her older friend as he rummaged around a great big box of junk he had brought out of the TARDIS, setting pieces to and fro as he searched for a ‘vital component needed to ensure the safety of this planet’, whatever that was.  
  
“Hm? No, that’s not it…” He mumbled, rubbing his lips a little as his eyes scanned over the scattered mish mash of material.  
  
“How old are you?”  
  
The Time Lord looked up to her at that, frowning at the question before turning his attention back down. “That’s hardly an appropriate question considering the circumstances.”  
  
Jo rolled her eyes a little, getting up and walking over and hugging his arm a little. “Well maybe if you could tell me what this ‘vital component’ looked like I could help you. Besides, it’s just a question. I’m only curious because…” She trailed off, smiling a little impishly.  
  
The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her now, his own playful smile forming on his face and his eyes twinkled a little. “Because what, Jo? That I'm old enough to be someone’s grandpa? And the component happens to resemble a lighter, but with the flint removed.”  
  
“So I’m looking for a pez dispenser.” Jo quipped, giggling a little before diving into the box of junk and rifling through it, ignoring the Doctor’s spluttering protests. “But, yes. I suppose you do look old enough to be someone’s grandfather. I think you would make a lovely grandfather too.”  
  
The Doctor chuckled, resting his chin on his arms that were propped up against the box. “Well, that’s a relief. I’m sure my granddaughter would be more than happy to confirm that.” He smiled wistfully, staring off into some vast unknown space. “Yes, Jo, I really am a grandpa. And to answer your inevitable question, her name was Susan.”   
  
He sighed a little, rubbing the back of his head, and Jo put her hand on his own. “You miss her terribly.” It wasn’t a question, but he nodded all the same. She squeezed his hand gently. “Well, I’m sure if she were here now, she would be proud to see the man you’ve become.”  
  
The Doctor chuckled again, shaking his head. “Thank you, Jo. I suspect she would call me careless, however. Anyways, we need to find that component!”  
  
\-----  
  
_Picture I__  
__  
_It was rare for the Doctor to be quiet for so long, which made Romana insanely suspicious that he was up to something, or fiddling with the TARDIS. Both of which were likely to send them careening off into trouble again. With that worrying idea, she moved out towards the console room, only to find that to her shock, the Doctor wasn’t there.  
  
Romana frowned heavily, what was going on. “K-9?” She queried.  
  
The little robotic dog lifted his head. “Yes, Mistress?”  
  
“Where’s the Doctor?”  
  
His antennae-ears wiggled a little before he turned briefly. “The Master is in his quarters, Mistress.”  
  
His quarters? What could he possibly be doing in there. “Thank you K-9.” She smiled a little at the dog before turning on her heel and walking back out, mouthing the directions to the Doctor’s room. It took her a few minutes to find it, but she quietly knocked on the door when she approached. “Doctor?”  
  
“Come in Romana!”   
  
She hesitated for just a moment before pushing the door open and stepping into his room. She hadn’t been in the Doctor’s room all that often, in fact she could sometimes forget he even had one, considering how little Time Lords needed to sleep properly. Even when finally entering she was a little taken aback at it all.  
  
It was so… _ordinary_, almost. His long and colorful scarf, jacket, and hat lay on another hat stand and his walls basically bookshelves, lined with all sorts of knick knacks and junk he had collected over the years. He was sitting in a rather comfortable armchair by the fireplace, the wood crackling enticingly. He grinned at her, his teeth seeming even larger in the firelight. “Come sit with me, the fire is just getting warm.”  
  
As Romana approached, she noticed a few pictures on the mantle. She couldn’t help but be drawn to them, after all it was rare for the Doctor to reminisce about his past, and he certainly didn’t seem the type to keep mementos. She picked up one at random, an old sepia tone photograph, which revealed something about it’s age. She was a pretty young woman, with intelligent eyes and an impish smile that reminded Romana heavily of the Doctor.  
  
She turned to him, holding the picture aloft so he could see. “Doctor? I don’t mean to pry, but who is this?”  
  
He looked up, and his eyes softened instantly. Setting his book down, he rose and gently plucked the frame from her hands and brushed his fingers across it tenderly. He smiled softly, lovingly. “That Romana, is my granddaughter. Susan.”  
  
_Granddaughter?_ Romana glanced at the photograph again, then back at the Doctor. “Your… granddaughter?”  
  
He nodded, setting the photograph gently back on the mantle. “Yes, my granddaughter. I still remember leaving her on Earth, in the 22nd Century. I promised her, you know, that I would come back to her and visit. I haven’t gotten around to it yet, of course.” He frowned. “I wonder if I ever will…” He had a troubled look on his face.  
  
Romana touched his arm gently. “I’m sure you will Doctor, one day. When the time is right.”  
  
“Ah, but time is relative Romana.” He reminded her, but smiled anyways at her.  
  
“I’m sorry for bringing up… painful memories.”  
  
His eyebrows rose a little at that. “Painful? Now why would they be painful? Yes, I miss Susan terribly, but she will always be nothing but fond memories in my hearts.” He picked up another photograph, this time of a smiling couple. One was a blonde woman in the tackiest outfit Romana had ever seen, and the other was a smiling male, his arm draped around her shoulders and wearing what looked like a sailing uniform. “Why don’t you sit down and I can tell you a little more about my other companions? This here is Ben and Polly Jackson, a wonderful couple I’ll have you know. They were there when I first regenerated. I don’t think I would have coped without them there.”  
  
Romana sat down and the Doctor did the same, and she listened intently as he told her stories about his past friends.   
  
\----  
  
_Brief Reunion_  
  
Finally away from all of the hustle and bustle of Gallifrey and the Death Zone. To think such a nice and lovely time at the Eye of Orion could have produced such a chaotic mess. The Doctor shook his head a little, glad to be by himself, figuratively speaking, and not with his younger selves. They really were quite a chore to be around…  
  
Of course, it was lovely seeing Sarah Jane and the Brigadier again. He really should stop by and see how she was coming along, he mused, and to see if she ever got the K-9 unit he sent her.  
  
He was aware that Tegan was giving him ‘the look’, which meant that she wanted to talk to him about something. Turning, he smiled at her, but faltered when he realized she was giving him a very concerned and sad look. “Is there something the matter?”  
  
“Aren’t you sad, Doctor?” She asked.  
  
He gave her a quizzical look. Why on earth would he be sad? “Now why would I be sad? Good riddance to the lot of them, I say, if that’s what you meant. I never wanted to be president anyways, you know.”  
  
She rolled her eyes and moved over, giving him a brief squeeze. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I meant, aren’t you sad saying goodbye to your granddaughter again?”  
  
Ah, that was it. The Doctor gave a melancholic breath and idly flipped a few switches. He stayed silent for a few seconds, playing with some random controls. “...Yes, I am Tegan. After all, it’s been… a long time since I last saw Susan, but I’m also very, very proud of her.” He smiled a little, remembering how _mature_ she looked now, clearly she had been scooped up at a later point in the timeline than his first body, although the young fool was probably so ecstatic to see her again he failed to notice the age difference.   
  
“Proud of her?” Tegan parroted, and the Doctor smiled a little.  
  
“She’s turned into a fine woman, Tegan. She lives her own life, doing marvelous things and being pretty brilliant if I’m to be modest. I always believed that she would do well without me… with David.” He remembered those fateful words he told her so, so long ago. If he closed his eyes he could still see her banging on the TARDIS door, begging to be let in.  
  
“Go forward in all of your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine. I said something along those lines, at least.” He sniffed a little, unable to hide the proud smile that crept up on his face. “And she’s proven to me that I indeed, am just a silly old fusspot that worries too much over his granddaughter.”  
  
The time rotor slowly ground to a halt, and he smiled. “Shall we be off then? Let’s see what brave new world awaits us.”  
  
\----  
  
_Memory II__  
__  
_The Doctor had been in a melancholic mood ever since their trip to Spain with Jamie. Peri didn’t need to be an expert in psychology to see how sad he was everytime he looked at the scotsman, and even though she didn’t exactly know the history behind them, it can’t have ended well for the normally brash and loud Doctor to get so down.  
  
“Something on your mind?” She propped herself up against the console, hoping that even if he wasn’t going to open up to her, he might get some life pumped back into him if he saw her sitting on his beloved TARDIS.   
  
Instead, he sighed deeply and nodded. “Yes, you could say that. More like someone, actually.”  
  
Peri frowned, scooting off the console and closer to her friend. “Is it Jamie? I know how terribly you miss him…” Much to her surprise, the Doctor shook his head no. “Well, who is it then? If you don’t mind me asking?”  
  
The Doctor scratched his ear lightly, drumming his fingers against the console. “It’s… my granddaughter. Oh please try not to look so shocked Peri, it’s not like I haven’t got a family.” He gave her a disapproving frown, before he glanced back down at the console. “Yes, my granddaughter. Susan. I think you two would get along, actually. Rash, headstrong, a penchant for trouble.”  
  
Peri snorted a little, smiling. “Thanks a lot, Doctor.” Her words seemed to fall on deaf ears, for the Doctor was gazing at the Time Rotor with a far away look in his eye.   
  
“Yes… a penchant for trouble indeed. I think of her so often, you know. Even if I forget other things… the day I forget Susan, is the day I hang up my coat for good.”  
  
“Well, you have the memory of a herd of elephants combined, so there’s a fat chance of that happening anytime soon.”  
  
The Doctor turned and smiled at Peri, pulling her in for a brief hug. “Thank you Peri. Now then, let’s set off shall we? The universe awaits no woman, or Time Lord.”  
  
\----  
  
_Clothing_  
  
The TARDIS’s closets were always way too big for Ace’s liking. She could never find exactly what she wanted right away, always having to sort through a million dresses and frills. She even came across some gaudy scarf that had been shoved half hazardly onto the rack. With a frustrated huff, she kicked out viciously at one of the racks and it fell over with a satisfying crash.  
  
“Ace? Are you destroying my property again?” The Doctor’s scottish burr sounded some distance away.  
  
“No!” She called back, which was strictly true, of course. She hadn’t _broken_ anything, at least it sounded like she didn’t. She carefully picked the rack back up and hastily shoved all of the clothes back on it, pausing only when she came across a single red fez.  
  
Curiously, she fingered it for a moment before looking around for the Doctor. “Hey, Professor! Get a load of this!” The little man looked up when she held the fez up, his eyes widening a little as she tossed it between her hands. “What are you doing with a fez of all things Professor?”  
  
So it was hardly her fault that she was surprised when he suddenly sped over and snatched it out of her hands, giving her a scolding look. “Ace, you really must be careful with what you do with things. You could have damaged it.”  
  
Ace pulled a face, raising her hands in surrender. “Geez, Professor. Sorry. I didn’t realize how important a _fez _was to you.”  
  
The darkening look on his face suddenly made Ace feel extremely guilty for saying that. He carefully and gently put the hat back on one of the racks and clasped his hands behind his back. “It’s not just any old fez, Ace.” Here we go, he was in teacher mode. “That one happened to belong to my granddaughter, Susan.”  
  
She shifted uncomfortably at the new knowledge, now feeling even worse for her manhandling, but before she could open her mouth the Doctor continued. “We had recently arrived on a small little world, more of a moon really. They all lived in big freezers due to how hot the temperature was outside. Instead of sand, there was glass for miles on end. I remember, she begged me to get it for her as a trinket.”   
  
He sighed wistfully, almost lost in his own thoughts. “I should return it to her one day… yes, one day. But, not today.” He turned back towards Ace and smiled at her suddenly. “How would you feel about throwing some tea into Boston Harbor, Ace?”  
  
Ace just grinned at her friend.  
  
\----  
  
_Gift_  
  
The Doctor held the now dull Hypercube in his hands. His granddaughter’s message replaying over and over in his head. “You’re a great-grandfather, grandfather.”  
  
A great-grandfather. Who would have thought? He smiled and laughed a little, setting the christmas gift gently down on the console, shaking his head. Even though this body felt so young whenever he thought of Susan, his age seemed to catch up with him.  
  
He had been traveling alone for quite some time now, perhaps the loneliness had gotten to him recently but he contemplated Susan’s offer, that he was always welcome for Christmas, or whenever he happened to show up for that matter.  
  
It would give him a chance to meet his great-grandson, a chance to meet what little family he had left in this cold and bleak universe anymore. He closed his eyes, remembering the last time he saw Susan, how capable she had become. He could only imagine the wonderful smells of Christmas Dinner that Susan would undoubtedly prepare for them all, to have his great-grandchildren on his lap and telling them wonderful stories of when their mother was younger and their adventures im the stars.   
  
It would be nice to have that feeling of home again.  
  
“You know, I think I can afford to pop down really quickly. What do you say old girl, fancy a nice Christmas dinner?” He patted the TARDIS console fondly, and before he even entered the coordinates the time rotor began to move and the engines began to grind. The Doctor smiled a little. “I take it, that means yes.”  
  
\---  
  
_Safe At Home_  
  
The old warrior felt his bones ache as he watched the two men that were supposed to be from his future gabber around Kate Stewart in the black archive. They at least had the benefit of knowing they weren’t Zygons even with the memory wipe, which was rather annoying now that he thought about it.  
  
There was Sandshoes, at least that’s what the old warrior preferred to be called, standing there and moping.   
  
“Ask him about her.” He almost jumped when the Moment’s avatar suddenly appeared next to him. He gave her a quizzical look, not wanting to admit he was thinking about… no. He couldn’t. “Ask him about her.” She prompted again, and he gave her a tired look.  
  
“Why should I? It will only confirm what I know.”  
  
He frowned when she rolled her eyes at him, and nudged his shoulder a little. “You might be surprised. Go on, ask.”  
  
Sighing in defeat, he got up and walked over to his older self. He seemed a little more relaxed around him now, although the way he gazed at him with his sad, sad eyes… “I have a question, if you don’t mind.” He glanced over at Bowtie. “I’m not sure he would be willing to answer.”  
  
The warrior could see the way the older man (it was so strange thinking that these men were older than him) tensed up at the idea of another question about the time war. He folded his arms and nodded tursely. “Alright, but I can’t promise an answer.” He warned, which was fair.  
  
“Can you tell me about Susan? Did she…” He trailed off, unable to even form the question. The older man’s gaze softened and he visibly relaxed.  
  
“Yes. She’s just fine. Still has our great-grandkids with David. Still doing brilliant things on Earth.”  
  
The old warrior sagged in relief, leaning against the wall. “Thank goodness.” He said quietly. “I knew that she wanted to help, I couldn’t stop her from joining…”  
  
The older man, the Doctor gave him a sympathetic look. “She’s safe, I promise you that much.”  
  
That was really all that he could ask for, in the end.  
  
\-----  
  
_Protocol 1__  
__  
_The Doctor sighed a little, pulling switches and cranking levers. Rose was off talking with her mother and he knew that this was likely the only chance he could get to record this message, just in case.  
  
Just in case. He shook his head, remembering the last Dalek before turning around when the hologram fizzed to life and an old, old looking man stood there. With slicked back white hair and a Victorian sense of dress, with wrinkles along his wizened face it was easy to forget that this was the youngest Doctor, the one who started it all.  
  
The Doctor watched his first face cough awkwardly to clear his throat, looking down at the floor before back up at the wall. “Ian, Barbara… Susan. I record this message in the event that the absolute worst as happened. That during our travels, I was unable to return to the TARDIS or get out of whatever predicament we find ourselves in and the TARDIS was in danger of falling into the wrong hands. In that event, I expect you all to keep going and see the stars. Susan, you know how to pilot the ship, you’ve done it many times with me and I’m sure you’ll have a better chance than I of getting Ian and Barbara home.”   
  
The old but young man shuffled slightly. “And Ian and Barbara… do look after Susan. I’m sure she’ll be very distraught over… over what has happened. But once her tears have run out, I know you will treat her well. Be safe, all of you. And good luck.”  
  
The Doctor stared at that empty space for the longest time, leaning on the railing. He closed his eyes and for a brief moment he thought about popping over to the 22nd Century just to see her again, but he shook his head a little and sighed. He could have time for that later. Switching the recording on, he stood where his youngest face stood.  
  
“Rose, if you’re receiving this message…”  
  
\---  
  
_Farewell Tour_  
  
He saved her for last, even as the radiation crept through his body and assaulted his cells one by one. At least this time he was able to power through the pain, he remembered a similar experience in his third incarnation and it was just as painful then as it was now.  
  
But he had to see her. Even after checking in on everyone else, he had saved her for last. It wasn’t as if he was trying to avoid her, but the thought of seeing her again so soon seemed… wrong, somehow. That his visit with her should be cherished and treasured. He rarely got to see her anymore, after all.  
  
He gasped in pain as he made it to the front door. He leaned against the old wood slightly and panted hard, willing his body to keep working just a few minutes longer so he could see her again, just see her one last time. Once he was sure that he wouldn’t keel over, he sucked in a breath and straightened up, knocking politely.  
  
After a few agonizing seconds, he wondered if she was even home until the door opened and a lovely old woman appeared at the doorway, her hair going grey in her old age. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Can I help you young man?”  
  
Despite all of the pain coursing through his body, the Doctor smiled at his granddaughter. “Hello Susan. It’s me.”  
  
Her eyes widened, and she pulled him in for a tight and warm hug. “Oh Grandfather! You’ve done it _again!_”  
  
\----  
  
_Newborn_  
  
Craig was begrudgingly impressed at how well the Doctor was capable of handling his son. He seemed to have a knack for it, even if he did feel a little embarrassed and belittled that apparently his baby boy had such a low opinion of him at such a young age.  
  
But one night, have the Doctor put his son to sleep and he was making them a spot of tea to go with the deserts for the evening, he couldn’t help but ask a curious question. “Doctor, do you have any kids?”  
  
The Doctor’s eyebrows flew up in surprise at the question, graciously accepting the cup of tea. “Now what on earth made you ask something like that?”  
  
Craig shrugged, sipping his own tea and laying the little tray of desserts down for the Doctor to pick and choose. His hand dove instantly for the jammy dodgers. “Just an observation I guess. The way you handled little Alfie, just made it seem like you’ve done it before.”  
  
A brief shadow fell over the Doctor’s face, and Craig wondered if he had pushed his friend too far, but eventually the alien man relaxed and gave a small, sad little smile. “Yes, actually. I’ve got grandchildren too, just the one, of course. Her name is Susan.” If Craig was surprised at that, he didn’t show it. “I remember holding her when she was born, sneaking into her rooms and showing her magic tricks. I always did know how to calm her down if she was crying when her father was looking after her.”  
  
Craig sipped his tea quietly, nodding and listening. The Doctor smiled a little at his friend. “But enough about me Craig, why don’t we find a sitter and head down to the pub for a pint eh?”  
  
\---  
  
_Picture II_  
  
Ever since Bill had started her tutorship with the Doctor, the two photographs that he had on his desk had nagged at her ever since she saw them properly for the first time. She knew that the beautiful looking red-headed girl was apparently the Doctor’s _wife,_ although he refused to go into anymore detail after telling her that and Bill didn’t want to push her luck.  
  
But it was a few months later and the identity of the other woman in a much, much older photograph was still a mystery to her. With her homework done for the day and Nardole off fetching them lunch, she decided to finally ask the question that was burning at the tip of her tongue. “Doctor? Who’s the other woman in the photograph? Not your wife, I mean, but the younger looking one.”  
  
The Doctor looked up from his desk, giving her an unreadable look, as if he was trying to discern whether or not to reveal the information to her. Eventually, though he glanced over at the picture on his desk and sighed. “She’s my granddaughter, Susan. And no, before you ask River isn’t her grandmother, I think she’d find a way to kill me if I even dared suggest that.”   
  
He reached over and picked up the photograph, smiling softly. “No, Susan was with me a long… long time ago.”  
  
“Do you want to go see her?” Bill asked, sitting on one of the chairs and gazing at her tutor curiously. “I mean, we could right? Pop in the TARDIS and skimp off before Nardole shows up and go for a visit? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”  
  
The Doctor smiled a little at the idea but shook his head, setting the photograph back down. “No, it’s best we don’t for now. A lot of awkward questions that I can’t afford to answer. For now, Susan will sleep just behind my eyes, in my memories where she’s safe. Now then.” He clapped his hands. “Where’s Nardole with that lunch?”  
  
\----  
  


_ Age II _ _   
_ _   
_ There were times Graham felt even older than he already did and their latest adventure sure put him through the wringer. His feet hurt, his back was sore, and on top of it all, his cheese and pickle sandwich had been devoured and he hadn’t had time to restock in the TARDIS kitchens. Absolute tragedy.   
  
He dearly wished the Doctor’s console room had chairs, but he settled in a cozy little library and picked up the book he had been reading recently. It was an old thing, but relaxing by a fire with a good book was one of the best things to do.    
  
Well, maybe he could go for a cup of tea and some snacks too, but he wasn’t going to complain.   
  
As if on cue, the door slid open and he heard the unmistakable sound of china clinking softly, and the gently scraping of wood against floor. He looked up from his book and smiled a little as the Doctor set a tea tray down, which was also full of snacks. She smiled back at him, and motioned to the other seat. “Do you mind if I join you?”   
  
“Not at all, it’s your ship.” Graham waved his hand, reaching over and grabbing one of the little sandwiches on the tray and taking a bite. The Doctor smiled a little and poured them tea.    
  
“I don’t know how you like your tea, so I brought some milk, honey, and sugar to add as you please.” The Doctor admitted, spooling some honey and milk into her tea and swirling it around before sipping it with a content sigh. “It’s nice and cozy here, isn’t it? Used to be a swimming pool here, bit rubbish that. A library with a swimming pool?”   
  
“I dunno, sounds like something Ryan and Yaz would enjoy.” Graham laughed a little, plopping one lump of sugar into his tea and pouring in the milk. “I’m too old for something like that anymore.”   
  
“Oh don’t sell yourself short Graham.” The Doctor chided gently, reaching behind her and pulling out a book seemingly at random. “After all, I’m still kicking about in my old age.”   
  
“How old  _ are _ you, Doctor? If you don’t mind me asking, I mean.” Graham asked, regarding his friend curiously. It was difficult to tell how old the alien in front of him really was, considering how cagey she could get about mentioning her past.   
  
The Doctor shrugged, flicking through the book until she had apparently found the page she was looking for and began to read. Her eyes darting back and forth across the text so rapidly Graham could swear he could see her irises blend together. “Oh, old enough I suppose. Enough that my granddaughter would start laughing her head off at the idea.”   
  
Now that took Graham by surprised, and he studied the Doctor again more closely. “You have a granddaughter?”   
  
She hummed, nodding slowly. “Her name is Susan. It’s been a long time since I’ve last seen her. It’s hard to keep in touch with family when you live a life like mine. But, it was time for her to settle down.”   
  
Graham nodded sagely. “I remember Grace telling me how hard it was to let Ryan strike out on his own after taking care of him. He’s finally grown up enough to fly on his own, she said, leave the nest and start his own.”   
  
The Doctor gave Graham an understanding smile, and he got the feeling that the Doctor knew exactly what that sensation was like. “Grace was a smart woman.”   
  
He hummed in agreement, and silently raised his cup of tea in a toast. “That she was Doc, that she was.” 


End file.
